Prices of essential commodities increased in Maungdaw

Maungdaw,
Arakan State: The prices of essential items including rice, onions, vegetables
and fish have been increased in kitchen markets in Maungdaw Townships, Nuru
(not real name), a trader from Maungdaw said.

“Suddenly,
the prices of essential commodities have been increased and skyrocketed in
Maungdaw since 1st December 2013.”

When
a local villager Farid (not real name) from the area (Aley Than Kyaw) paid a
visit to the market on December 7, he found that a bag of rice is being sold at
18,000 Kyat while it was sold 14,000 Kyat per 50 kilogram bag in November, but
a bag of normal rice is being sold at 13,000 to 15,000 Kyat per bag, it was
sold at 12,000 Kyat in last month.

The
villager also said that a kilo of dried chili is being sold at 2,500 Kyat, it
was sold at 1,800 Kyat before, a kilo of onion is being sold at 1,500 Kyat , it
was sold at 1,200 Kyat and a kilo of fish is being sold at 2,000 to 3,000 Kyat
, it was sold at 1,000 to 1,500 Kyat in
November 2013, but others goods are going on normally.

The
prices of fish have also been increased in the Maungdaw Townships because the
fishing boats in Maungdaw south have been blocked by the concerned authority
without giving any reason since 1st December 2013, a local fisherman Salim (not
real name) said.

According
to Maungdaw sources, the prices of rice and onions have suddenly been increased
in the local markets because the rice and onion are being exported to
Bangladesh from Arakan State.

On
November 23, at about 175 metric tons of rice were exported to Bangladesh from
Maungdaw, Arakan State, through the transit point of Teknaf land port, sources
said.

Hasan,
a local trader from Teknaf confirmed the report and told the Kaladan Press
Network that the rice was exported to Bangladesh by the businessmen of
Bismillah Enterprise and Sayed Enterprise in Tekanf land port.

In
order to keep the prices of essentials within the reach of the common people,
the Burmese government has not taken any step to stop the skyrocketing prices
of the essentials, said a local elder from Maungdaw.